Is AeroMexico AM Plus Premium Economy Worth it?

On my recent trip to Mexico City, I got to check out AeroMexico’s premium economy product, AM Plus. I was especially excited as I scored a free upgrade. This excitement didn’t last long as there wasn’t anything “premium” to this upgrade. This is my AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy review and my answer to if AM Plus worth the upgrade.

HowDoYouUpgradetoAeroMexicoAMPlus?

With a ridiculous seat sale price of $350 CAD Vancouver to Mexico City return, I was happy to splurge a little on some extra comfort for the six-hour flight. When trying to purchase an upgrade online the only seats available to me where in the exit row. This is a dirty trick that airlines play. There’s no way every passenger has selected a seat a couple of days out. Airlines do this to pressure you into paying more a seat. At $79 USD I decided to wait for the 24-hour window to select my seat.

Once 24 hours out there still wasn’t anything beyond the exit row, although now down to $59 USD. This shows you should always wait when selecting your seat!

Again, I decided to roll the dice and try my luck at the counter rather than online. Upon check-in, I asked if there was availability in AeroMexico AM Plus, the airlines Premium Economy offering. There was and at only $95 CAD ($73 USD), I decided to go for it. Even with my credit card in hand, to my surprise, the agent upgraded me at no cost.

Details

What Are the AeroMexico AM Plus Seats Like?

Happy with my free upgrade, I was ready to sit back and take in all the is AeroMexico AM Plus service. This is where the excitement ended. Seats on AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy 737-800 aircraft are in a three-three configuration, same as economy. The only difference is the additional legroom, 34 inches of pitch versus 31 inches.

The only other thing that distinguishes AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy is the headrest with”AM Plus” stitched into it. That’s it.

What Is the Service Like on AeroMexico AM Plus?

So if seats on the AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy aren’t much of an upgrade, the service must be, right? Not so fast speedy Gonzalez.

What Is the Food Like on AeroMexico AM Plus?

Meal and drink service on AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy is the exact same as economy class. On my six hour flight from Vancouver to Mexico City, we were all fed a small breakfast of powdered eggs and vegetables with yogurt and fruit on the side. No points awarded here.

Drinks, again, are the same in economy. I didn’t have any tequila or cerveza as my early departure meant I slept the whole way. On my return trip in economy I decided to have a beer and there was no charge so assuming beer and wine are included, AeroMexico AM Plus or not.

Sticking with the meals, on my return, I had a pesto pasta that was swimming in oil. Again, this was in economy class but would have been the same meal in AM Plus.

Service

Unfortunately, service on Aeromexico premium economy didn’t with me over it either. Flight attendants were all smiles and super nice, just not very attentive. My seat, for example, had a broken entertainment system. I was waiting for an opportunity to flag an attendant but ended up moving to a free seat after takeoff. I just find it funny that if there is an issue with a seat why put someone in it in the first place? The flight was not full.

Then, during meal service, I was somehow skipped over despite everyone else in my room receiving a meal. 🤔

Amenities

The only real additional amenity in AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy is the inclusion of a blanket, or so I thought. On my return, I find blankets in economy as well.

I’m struggling to find the difference here with AM Plus. You get priority boarding and screening through SkyPriority and dedicated overhead storage but is this really worth $95??

What Is the Entertainment Like on AeroMexico AM Plus?

Once I was in a seat with an in-flight entertainment system that worked, I noticed it is, again, the same throughout the plane. Movie selection was OK but not substantive. Same with television shows. Still, there’s enough in there to keep you busy for a few hours.

Wi-Fi is available with service ranging from one hour to the duration of the flight. There is a free messaging option which is a nice touch and allows you to stay connected throughout the flight.

So What’s the Plus in AM Plus?

So, if the only thing AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy gets you three inches of extra space, what’s the plus? As far as I can tell, the perks are really with SkyPriority. This is not a plus for me as I was at the airport at four in the morning so no need for priority anything. I should also point out that I was laughed at when I tried to access the Delta Plus lounge. Clearly AeroMexico does not get you lounge access…

Instead of AeroMexico AM Plus, I highly recommend selecting an exit row seat instead. As I found on my return flight, although the exit row seats do not recline, they have WAY more space. With all the other “perks” included (food, drink, dedicated bin – emergency row you can not have items in the row), the value is certainly there.

Is AM Plus worth it?

This should not be a shock. Spending the extra pesos on AeroMexico AM Plus premium economy is not worth it if you are caring on your baggage or on a short flight. I would only upgrade again if I was in a middle seat in economy and the exit row was not available…or if it was free. I would also only do this at the airport check-in instead of paying more online.

I did say that it is the same system throughout the plane – see the first sentence under “What Is the Entertainment Like on AeroMexico AM Plus?” so yes, there is the same entertainment system in economy class.

And yes, entertainment systems make all the difference for big children like myself too 😉